Son of Snape
by AmericanPatrol
Summary: "I am now your legal guardian."  "Pardon?" asked Neville.  Surely, he had heard incorrectly.  Certainly Snape hadn't said...  "I am now your legal guardian," Snape repeated.  This story asks "What if Snape were Neville's father?"   A bit out of character.


_This is a rather out-of-character silly story that asks "What would happen if Snape was Neville's father?" Written for fun for my sister._

Son of Snape

Neville was perplexed when he was summoned into the office of Professor Snape on that crisp October evening. He was only a first year, but he already knew that he was afraid of the black-haired potions master. Something about Snape's long hair and penetrating eyes made his skin crawl.

He gathered his belongings (and courage) and set off to the dungeons.

"Enter."

Neville gulped loudly and slipped past the heavy wooden door. The potions master stood with his back to the entrance.

"I realize that you have some family...issues," said Snape. He paused as though waiting for Neville to burst into tears. When nothing happened, he continued.

"I have spoken with your grandmother to discuss this...er, delicate subject with you. Long story short, I am now your legal guardian."

"Pardon?" asked Neville. Surely, he had heard incorrectly. Certainly Snape hadn't said...

"I am now your legal guardian," repeated Snape without the slightest trace of emotion.

The rest of the conversation was lost on Neville. Upon returning to the common room, Neville relayed the story to his only friend, Hermione.

"No one can know!" he hissed. They sat alone by the fire, but he was paranoid nonetheless.

"I won't tell a soul," she assured him.

Neville nodded and ran to his dormitory, collapsing on the bead with no intention of falling asleep. Life as the son of Severus Snape would not be easy; this much he knew.

"You'll never guess what the boggart turned into for Longbottom," Remus was saying as Severus silently approached the staff room.

"Tell us!" Minerva urged. A murmur from the remaining staff suggested that they too were eager for gossip.

"Severus!" laughed Remus. The others joined in. Only one person did not laugh.

"Neville is afraid of Severus?" asked Pomona. She sounded sincerely concerned.

"Oh, come now, Pomona!" said Charity through fits of laughter.

"No. I am concerned for Neville's wellbeing. If he is afraid of Severus, then we have a serious problem on our hands."

"What Severus does to the poor boy, we'll never know," said Minerva seriously.

Severus had not felt this angry in a long time. How dare they talk about him in this manner?

He could not take anymore. He stormed off with his billowing cloak following behind him. He marched up to the Gryffindor common room.

"Come."

"Wha...?"

Neville sat on the rug, mouth hung open in surprise. Around him was half-finished potions homework. He cowered and said "I'm working on it, I swear."

Severus shook his head and grasped Neville's wrist firmly.

"We are going to Hogsmeade. Now."

"What for?" Neville asked as he scrambled to his feet.

Without answering, Severus pulled his 'son' from the room. Several awkward moments later, they found themselves in Honeyduke's Candy Shop.

Severus turned to Neville and shaped his mouth into the closest thing to a smile that he could muster. Neville half-smiled in response to his gesture.

"So," said Severus. "What's your favorite candy?"

Neville walked around the Forbidden Forest, kicking at the ground with his feet. So this was where Harry encountered dead loved ones? Perhaps he would see his father here...not Frank; he was safe at St. Mungo's. No, it was his 'father' Severus that he wanted to see.

Leaning over, he picked up a peculiar rock. It was cold and black with an interesting design etched onto the surface.

_Luna will love it, _he told himself. _She finds beauty in everything._

Pocketing the rock, his thoughts drifted back to Severus. He had been unapproachable and cold toward everyone, especially Neville. In fact, the one time he managed to speak with him alone, the only words his 'father' had spoken were "I can't."

"I can't either," Neville said to the sky. "I can't believe that you're gone."

He could still remember that afternoon four years ago when the Professor had taken him to Honeyduke's. They had bought fruit-filled chocolate beans, Neville's favorite, and spent the afternoon guessing the flavor of the beans. How could that man be gone?

Back at the wreckage that was once Hogwarts, Neville met up with Luna and gave her the rock. Her eyes lit up when she saw it.

"Do you know what this is?" Luna gasped.

"Well, I thought it was a rock," he replied sheepishly. "I guess not?"

"It's the Resurrection Stone, Neville!" shrieked Luna. She began talking about the Deathly Hallows, but Neville didn't hear her. He was too busy looking at the black haired man at the back of the Great Hall.

"Dad?" yelled Neville. He had forgotten that he was surrounded by students that had no idea about Snape's guardianship.

The two embraced and Neville began to talk excitedly.

"Luna was right the stone did work you aren't dead I can't believe it," he sputtered in one breath.

"I was never dead," Snape said simply.

Neville didn't understand how the Professor stood alive before him, but he didn't care. He was back.

On the first of September, the anniversary of the day that they met, Neville Longbottom and Luna Lovegood were wed. Severus sat in the front row next to Frank, Alice, and Augusta Longbottom. Xenophelius joined them after he walked the bride in yellow down the aisle.

"At first, I was appalled by the idea of yellow at a wedding, but it's grown on me," Augusta whispered to Severus. "She has too."

He chuckled to himself. It had taken him a while to accept the fact that his 'son' was mad for the craziest girl at Hogwarts, but now he couldn't picture it any other way. In fact, he had said "get over it" to a teary eyes Hannah Abbott who had only noticed Neville after he became a hero.

After the ceremony, the dancing began. Severus sat holding Fang Jr, a boar-hound puppy from Hagrid to the newlyweds. He had no intentions of joining the dancing.

"Hello Professor!" two voices said simultaneously. Startled, Severus looked up into the faces of red-headed twins.

"Fred? But I thought you were-"

"Dead? I was, but Neville gave mum the Resurrection Stone," said a beaming Fred. George had tears in his eyes. Waving, the two bounded off. Behind them stood a blonde in a big yellow gown.

"Come dance with me," called the bride. She held a pale hand out to him and he took it, against his better judgement. As they began to waltz, people turned to see the dark man joining the fair-haired girl on the dance floor. They passed Neville, who was dancing with his mother. Neither Severus nor Neville uttered a word, but their smiles said everything. They were both as happy as could be as they danced the night away in pure bliss.

Epilogue

Severus Snape lived to see the birth off all three of Neville and Luna's children: Severus Augustus, Frank Xenophelius, and Alice Plum. Fang Jr was a wonderful companion to the Longbottom's and loved playing with the children. Every Sunday, Neville and Severus go to Honeyduke's to eat fruit-filled chocolate beans and guess the flavor.


End file.
